As prices fluctuate and ESG rules tighten, it’s becoming harder to justify the old ways of using produced natural gas to power pneumatic systems on a well site. Changing to solar or wind-generated instrument air, with Airworks’ patented Aurora Instrument Air System, offers many important economic and ecological advantages over gas.
Powerful: A single unit supplies up to 60 scfm
Most existing off-grid IA systems only reach 3 scfm, requiring the placement of multiple units to power larger installations. The Aurora IAS is versatile with package sizes that range from 5-60 scfm, to serve single to large Multi-well pad sites.
Flexible: Uses wind/solar power working completely off-grid
By using renewable power, it’s perfect for brownfield and greenfield operations with no grid power or established areas where power fluctuates. Using clean dry compressed air prevents the freezing of well site controls in extreme weather. Recent power outages in Texas would not have affected Aurora-powered sites.
Economical: Allows produced gas to be sold into pipelines
Gas used to power equipment loses pressure, so it can’t be sold into the pipeline. That means it usually has to be flared, costing the producer money. Aurora uses no field gas, so everything the well produces can be sold. Airworks Compressors Corp, President, Darryl Weflen, points to field studies showing that these gas sales give Aurora a typical ROI of 6 months.
Dependable: Charges batteries so it works 24/7
The wind dies and the sun sets, but Aurora never quits, pushing through those times by storing reserve power in batteries. Other power options include a methanol-fueled backup generator. The DC power generated by the system can also run onsite SCADA systems.
Environmental: It emits no methane so it requires no emission permitting
Aurora burns no fuel and uses no gas, so there are no emissions, supporting the health and wellness of Earth’s ecosystems and atmosphere.
Available: It is easy to Implement
Switching a system from natural gas to air is as easy as tuning off the gas and connecting the air line.
Aurora packages are already in heavy use in Wyoming and northern Alberta with great success. AC driven packages are also available.